Obituaries

Saturday, January 30, 1999

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Charles Luckman,
Aloha Stadium creator,
dies at 89

By Harold Morse
Star-Bulletin

Charles Luckman, a multi-faceted architect who designed Aloha Stadium as the first facility with stands that reconfigure for baseball or football events, died Tuesday at his Los Angeles home. He was 89.

A family spokesman said Luckman died in his sleep.

An entrepreneur once called the boy wonder of American business, Luckman headed soap companies and designed space centers and skyscrapers.

The Kansas City native gained an architecture degree from the University of Illinois. But after graduating in 1931, he designed brochures for soap products. Luckman became a super salesman and by age 33 was president of the dentifrice firm Pepsodent. Four years later, he was president of Lever Bros.

In 1937, Luckman saw a comedian named Bob Hope in a Broadway musical. The Bob Hope radio show followed, with Pepsodent as its longtime sponsor.

In 1947, President Truman tapped Luckman to help feed war-devasted Europe. He was honored with Britain's Order of St. John, France's Legion of Honor and Italy's Star of Solidarity.

The Europe task was his second government calling. In 1946, he had been named to the President's Committee on Civil Rights.

In its 1947 report, that committee sought to uphold civil liberties by backing anti-lynching, anti-poll tax and anti-discrimination bills. It called for a permanent Fair Employment Practices Commission, voting rights for native Americans in the Southwest and citizenship for all who qualify, including residents of U.S. possessions in the Pacific.

Luckman left the soap business in 1950 and turned to his first love, architecture. In addition to Aloha Stadium, his landmark creations included the Cape Canaveral Space Center in Florida, the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Los Angeles Airport, the Prudential Center in Boston, the Phoenix Civic Center and the new Madison Square Garden in New York.

In a 1955 Star-Bulletin interview, Luckman reminisced about his career, his tenure as president of Pepsodent and Lever Brothers, and opening his own firm.

"I work long hours -- up at 5 . . . to read reports, get to the office at 8:30, leave about 7," he said. "Retire? About every six months I say I should. I don't think I ever will, too much drive inside."

Luckman is survived by wife Harriet and sons Charles Jr., James and Stephen.

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Shirley M.M. Carvalho-Ho, 65, of Honolulu died Jan. 23. She was born in Hamakua, Hawaii. She is survived by sons George K. Hinano Apo III and Leroy Knappenburger; daughters Revonda “Honey Girl” Apo-Boyle, Victoria “Cissy” Carvalho-Yuen and Jadelyn Neal; brothers Abraham Makekau and Donald Medeiros; sisters Virginia “Lehua” Kapaku, Carol Hughes-Okada and Beverly Godoy; half-brothers, sisters, hanai children, 30 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. Services: 7:30 p.m. Thursday and 10:30 a.m. Friday at Nuuanu Mortuary. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday and after 8 a.m. Friday. Burial: Hawaiian Memorial Park. No flowers.

Demetria T. Cole, 78, of Waianae, retired from the Sheraton Makaha Hotel, died Sunday in St. Francis-West Hospital. She was born in the Philippines. She is survived by husband Dionicio A.; sons John Olanda and Phillip Cole; daughters Mildred Ries, Jeannette Chang, Dinah Naumu, Justina Cabunoc, Margaret Lee, Virginia Sandobal, Olivia Sakata, Bella Abang, Mercy Aiu and Bernadette Yoshikawa; siblings Andy, Joe, John and Laurence Limasa, Ben and Pedro Lemasa, Julia Santiago, Florentino Cuyno and Maria Taipin; 44 grandchildren; and 24
great-grandchildren. Mass: 7 p.m. Monday at Sacred Heart Church. Call 6 to 9 p.m. Services: Noon Tuesday at Mililani Mortuary-Waipio, makai chapel. Call after 10 a.m. Burial: Mililani Memorial Park. Casual attire.

Edrie Stowe Coleman, 95, of Honolulu died Jan. 23 at home. She was born in Belhaven, North Carolina. She moved with her husband, Howard, to New Haven, Conn., then lived in Hawaii 1959-1969 and since 1987. She is survived by son H. Clifford; daughter-in-law Marysia; former daughter-in-law Jean S.; grandchildren Mark, Lori, Paul and Kevin; great-grandchildren Kekela, Mele, Amber, and Kawika; and hanai great-grandaughter Alysha. No services. Burial of ashes next to her husband's in Connecticut.

Bicente “Gorong” Delanoza, 70, of Kekaha, Kauai, a driver-salesman with Waimea Dairies-Meadow Gold, died Tuesday at home. He was born in Waimea. He is survived by wife Genevieve; sons Rodney, Alan, Derek and Chad; daughter Gwen; brothers Cris and Augustine; sisters Catherine Zambo and Epifania Legaspi; four grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. Mass: 3 p.m. Wednesday, with eulogy 2:30 p.m., at Waimea Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Call after 1 p.m. Burial: Kauai Veterans Cemetery. Casual attire.

Marcellus “Macella” Dudoit, 61, of Kaunakakai, a security guard, died Jan. 23 in Queen's Hospital. He was also a coach for boxing and baseball. He was born on Molokai. He is survived by wife Roxane; sons Marroc, Mannon, Manden, Mahonn, Reuben, Marcelluis Jr., Randy, Curtis, Kalani, Sean, Shane and Landis; daughters Myndrene Dudoit, Emma Parham and Roslyn Pegues; brothers Horace Dudoit and Sonny Poaha; sisters Kahale, Dagmar and Wahoo; 20 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. Services: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Borthwick Mortuary. Call 6 to 9 p.m. Services: 10:30 a.m. Feb. 6 at Kalaiakamanu Hou Congregation Church on Molokai. Call 7 a.m. to noon. Burial: Homelani Cemetery on Molokai. Casual attire. No flowers for Honolulu services but flowers welcome on Molokai.

Elsie K.L. Farm, 79, of Aiea died Jan. 23 in Honolulu. She was born in Hawaii. She is survived by husband Joseph K.; daughters Patricia Gouveia and CynthiaAnn Napuunoa; sisters Agnes Chee, Lillian Fisher and Betty Yorong; brothers Kung, Charles, Rudy, Stanley and Kenneth Hoy; six grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. Services: Noon Feb. 10 at Ordenstein's Hawaiian Memorial Park Mortuary. Call after 10 a.m. Burial: National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Punchbowl. Casual attire.

Alfred “Sunchi” Ferreira Jr., 65, of Haiku, Maui, died Tuesday in Queen's Hospital. He was born in Paia, Maui. He is survived by longtime companion Rachel Chong Kee; sons Rick, Blaine and Alfred III; daughters Barbara Franco and Phyllis Kim; mother Balbing Gonsalves; brothers Joseph and Clarence; mother of his children, Katherine; 12 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Rosary: 7:30 p.m. Monday at Holy Rosary Church. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Mass: 10 a.m. Tuesday. Call after 9 a.m. Burial: Maui Veterans Cemetery. Aloha attire.

James A. Fitt, 57, of Los Angeles, a men's clothing salesman, died Dec. 29. He was also a local artist and carpenter. He was born in Los Angeles. He is survived by daughters Sherry Engle and Vicki Stecher; brother Tim; and eight grandchildren. Scattering of ashes: 3 p.m. Feb. 6 at Kailua Boat Ramp. Gathering at Waimanalo Polo Field Clubhouse. Casual or aloha attire.

Miriam M. “Tita” Kekauoha, 69, of Waimanalo died Jan. 23 in Kailua. She was born in Honolulu. She is survived by husband Wendley; sons Wendley Jr., Gregory and Brian; daughter Faith Pedro; brothers Charlie, Oliver Jr., Grant, Alex, Melvin, Jerry and Kilani Kauhane; nine grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. Services: 7 p.m. Wednesday and 10:45 a.m. Thursday at Hawaiian Memorial Park Mortuary. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday and after 9 a.m. Thursday. Burial: Hawaiian Memorial Park. Aloha attire.

Charles S. Kimura, 78, of Honolulu, a retired self-employed auto mechanic, died Wednesday in Queen's Hospital. He was born in Hilo. He is survived by wife Kay K.; son Lloyd M.; daughters Kathryn M. Fernandes, Joyce K. Gushikuma, Karen K. Castro and Carol Y. Kimura; sisters Tsuneko Horie, Elaine Hoshida, Doris Takeba, Millie Awakuni and Dottie Hamai; and seven grandchildren. Services: 6 p.m. Wednesday at Hosoi Garden Mortuary. Casual attire. No flowers.

Caroline W. Lam, 87, of Honolulu died Jan. 22 in Honolulu. She was born in China. She is survived by son Chapman Lin; daughter Theodora Lam Ching; eight grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren. Services: Noon Wednesday at Diamond Head Mortuary. Call after 10 a.m. Burial: Diamond Head Memorial Park.

Masaru Oura, 80, of Wailuku, Maui, died Thursday in Maui Memorial Hospital. He was born in Makawao. He is survived by wife Fumie; sons Alan and Eric; brother Robert; sister Yukiko Masuda; and three grandchildren. Wake: 6 p.m. tomorrow at Wailuku Shingon Shu Mission. Services: 5 p.m. Monday at Nakamura Mortuary. Inurnment: 10 a.m. Tuesday at Maui Memorial Park. Casual attire.

Ben I. Pilar, 68, of Honolulu died Tuesday in La Jolla, Calif. He was born in the Philippines. He is survived by sisters Josefina P. Duyao, Gerelina Pilar and Ignacia P. Agustin. Services: 10 a.m. Wednesday at Nuuanu Mortuary. Call after 8 a.m. Burial: Valley of the Temples.

Guildford W. Rodenhurst, 84, of Honolulu, a civilian motor pool clerk for the U.S. government, died Wednesday in Honolulu. He was born in Kohala, Hawaii. He is survived by wife Frances Camacho; sons Glenn, Randolph and Luckie; and grandchildren. Graveside services: 10 a.m. Wednesday at Oahu Cemetery. Casual attire.

Kiyoshi Sato, 75, of Wahiawa, a retired employee of Hawaiian Electric Co., died Monday in Straub Hospital. He was also a World War II veteran. He was born in Waialua. He is survived by son the Rev. Scott; mother Michiyo; sisters Violet S. Awaya, Ruth C. Strong, Nobuko Watanabe, Jane K. Johnson and Emily H. Fujioka; three grandchildren; and a great-grandson. Services: 7 p.m. Monday at Mililani Mortuary-Waipio, makai chapel. Call after 6 p.m. Casual attire. No flowers.

Paulino P. Tampon, 77, of Honolulu died Jan. 23. He was born in the Philippines. He is survived by wife Francisca; sons Epifanio, Nicolas, Pedro and Fidel; daughters Leonides Macali-Bog, Catalina Panoncillo and Milagros Bailey; sisters Victoria Taberos and Condrada Barinque; 21 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren. Services: 7 p.m. Wednesday at Nuuanu Mortuary. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Mass: 9:30 a.m. Thursday at Our Lady of the Mount Church. Call after 8 a.m. Burial: Hawaiian Memorial Park.

Tui T. Tusi, 69, of Kaneohe, retired from Island Movers, died Jan. 19 at home. He was born in American Samoa. He is survived by wife Pulou; sons Faitala and Alofa L. Tauvaga and Pita and Bell Tusi; daughters Falesiliga A. Pola, Pulou G. Keener, Fiasili Malaki, Ruth P. Osborne and Mirabel Tusi; sisters Leiloa Samatua, Sola Lautele and Aiga, Manuuli, Salikea, Samalaki, Soama, Aselania and Toavalu Tusi; brothers Pili, Samu, Jack, Siagae, Fesouaina, Toetu, Paga and Aifano J. Mane; 19 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Services: 6:30 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. Feb. 6 at Borthwick Mortuary. Call 6 to 9 p.m. Friday and 9 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday. Burial: Valley of the Temples.

Hermogenes R. Valdez, 85, of Waipahu, retired from Hawaiian Dredging Construction Co., died Jan. 14 in St. Francis-West Hospital. He was born in the Philippines. He is survived by wife Vilma J.; children Avelina Dela Cruz, Luzviminda Ba Lacay, Juliana Rentiquano and Albert, Davin C. and Vanessa Valdez; 21 grandchildren; 32 great-grandchildren; and a great-great-granddaughter. Wake: 7 p.m. Monday at Mililani Mortuary-Waipio, mauka chapel. Call from 6 to 9 p.m. Mass: 9:45 a.m. Tuesday at St. Joseph Church, 94-675 Farrington Highway. Call after 8:30 a.m. Burial: Mililani Memorial Park. Casual attire.

Takashi Watanabe, 73, of Pearl City died Jan. 23 in Hilo Hospital. He was born in Hilo. He is survived by wife Kazuko; sons James H. and Jon K.; daughters Julie Ramos, Janet S. Sherburne and JoAnne Watanabe; brothers Yutaka, Toshio and Mitsuo; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Services: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Mililani Mortuary-Waipio, mauka chapel. Call after 5:30 p.m. Private inurnment. Casual attire. No flowers.

Pui Lum Wong, 65, of Honolulu died Wednesday in St. Francis Hospice. He was born in China. He is survived by wife Chui Lin; sons Nicholas and Thomas; daughters Syreeta and Naomi; mother Tim Lee; sister Yun Choi Lou; and a grandchild. Services: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Borthwick Mortuary. Call from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Cremation to follow.

Richard Y.Q. Wong, 87, of Honolulu, a retired PX manager at Schofield Barracks, died Wednesday at home. He was also former owner of Wong's Sundries. He was born in China. He is survived by wife Kwai Ying; son David; daughters Marion Miyagawa, Nancy Wong-Tojio and Florence Edralin; brothers Samuel, Henry and Wallace; sisters Eleanor Hee and Mabel Reyes; and six grandchildren. Services: 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday at Borthwick Mortuary. Burial: Hawaii State Veterans Cemetery.